HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR MISSION TRIP

SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

Pray, pray, pray. This is so important and often overlooked amidst other preparations for your trip. Ask others to pray too! Pray for your support to come in, for your supporters, for your team members, for your team leader, for the country/city you’ll be visiting, for the people you will encounter there, for safety, and especially for God’s glory to be revealed.

FINANCIAL PREPARATION

It is important to recognize what it will take to pay for a mission trip. Travel costs, passports, visas, insurance, food, housing, training, ministry expenses, etc. must all be accounted for, but you don’t have to pay for all of this out of pocket.

Resonate Church encourages you to let others invest in you and your mission opportunity by becoming financial partners, and we provide coaching for support raising as you prepare for your trip. Check out the manual to the right for more information about how to build a financial support team for your mission trip.

TRAVEL PREPARATION

Missions trip often mean hours of travel and usually several documents to prepare if you’re leaving the country.

Passports: Passports are always required when traveling outside of the USA. Make sure to apply for a passport several months before the departure of your trip and make sure that your passport is valid at least six months after the dates of your trip. For trips to Mexico, an Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or a passport card can take the place of a regular passport. Check out this website for more information on how to get a passport.

Visas: Many countries require a visa in order to visit. Depending on which country you go to, you will likely need 1 or 2 passport photos (available at Walmart, Walgreens, Rite Aid, or the post office), a visa application form filled out and signed pen to paper, and sometimes a few current bank statements (for Thailand trips). Other documents may be required and you will be notified by a team leader or the missions team if so.

Immunizations: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting certain immunizations before entering and returning to different countries. Each country has their own recommendations. Check out this website for more information about what shots to get.

Insurance: Part of the cost of your trip will include short term insurance purchased through Gallagher Charitable International Insurance Services. We also get insurance for domestic trips through HUB International Insurance.

BASE CAMP TRAINING

For trips during Christmas break and summer break, teams are required to attend base camp training. This is a time when the teams are able to prepare to leave and dedicate some time to be together for prayer and preparation before going overseas. Base camp usually happens the weekend before trips leave.

PARENT INFORMATION

Resonate Church understands that sending your child on a mission trip can be a huge and scary step even if your child is away from home. We do our best to make sure that communication is clear and all of your questions are answered as best as can be. Please email Sage Foss at sage@resonate.net or call our office at 509-592-1100 if you have any questions about your child’s mission trip.